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eHealth Pilot Program Launched to Improve Health Delivery

The Bangladesh Knowledge Management Initiative (BKMI) launched a three-month eHealth Pilot Program on April 2, 2013. The program seeks to strengthen Health, Population and Nutrition (HPN) communication efforts in Sylhet and Chittagong districts by promoting new innovations, creating partnerships and building capacity, for example, by providing digital BCC materials to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare field workers.
 
As part of the initiative, 300 community-level field workers (FWs) in Sylhet and Chittagong districts will receive netbooks pre-loaded with an HPN BCC eToolkit and eight eLearning courses. The FWs will use the eToolkit for their client counseling, and the eLearning courses will help the FWs acquire more knowledge and skills on HPN BCC to supplement their   trainings. These digital resources will also be made available on computers in 42 health complexes, 12 clinics and two Agriculture Information Communication Centers, as well as online.
 
BKMI is a USAID-funded project under the global Knowledge for Health (K4Health) project implemented by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Communication Programs (JHU•CCP) in collaboration with the MOHFW and the Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP).
BKMI seeks to effectively contribute to achieving the targets of the Government of Bangladesh’s national strategic plan: the Health, Population and Nutrition Sector Development Program (HPNSDP) for 2011-2016 through promoting Knowledge Management and leveraging digital methods in the health sector of Bangladesh for better health outcomes.
 
The launch program in Chittagong was inaugurated by the Director General of Family Planning Mr A.K. M. Amir Hossain. Mr Ganesh Chandra Sarker, Joint Secretary and Line Director, Information, Education & Motivation (IEM) unit of DGFP and Mr Gregory Adams, OPHNE Director, USAID were present as the special guests. The launch program was presided over by Md Abdul Mannan, Deputy Commissioner, Chittagong.  Dr Kazi Shafikul Alam, Divisional Director, Health and Mr Md. Shafiul Alam, Divisional Director, Family Planning were also present as the guests of honor. Welcome address was provided by Dr Sheikh Rukunuddin Ahmed, Deputy Director, Family Planning, Chittagong.  Mr Basil Safi, Asia Team Leader, JHU•CCP and Dr Abu Tayab, Civil Surgeon, Chittagong also spoke at the program.
 
A joint presentation on eHealth Pilot was made by Ms Rebecca Arnold, Acting Manager, BKMI and Dr Shamim Talukder, CEO of Eminence, a national NGO responsible for conducting pre-assessment and orientations of  FWAs and HAs. Mr. Dipak Muzumder, Deputy Director, IEM unit summed up the presentation in Bangla. The presentation was followed by a question-answer session facilitated by Dr Mustafizur Rahman, Programme Manager, Institute of Public Health Nutrition, DGHS. The officials of GOB, BKMI and Eminence answered different questions of the audience.
 
Among others, a USAID team from Washington and Mr Mohammad Shahjahan, Director & CEO, BCCP were also present in the launch program. Mr Abdus Salam, Assistant Chief & DPM, Bureau of Health Education, DGHS conducted the entire program as the Emcee.